Fourth Report - Water quality in rivers

The government acknowledges the need for urgent action and highlights existing plans and efforts related to salmon populations and general water quality, but does not specifically address the committee's concerns about poor monitoring arrangements for public safety or the prevalence of specific pollutants for river users.

The Government states that it is already working closely with the Environment Agency, the Storm Overflows Taskforce and the water industry on relevant proposals to enable this and ensure accountability, mentioning water company commitments to full event duration monitoring and a duty to monitor water quality upstream and downstream.

The response discusses modelling and monitoring of the water environment to detect nutrient flows across catchments, as well as concerns about the stalling effect of nutrient neutrality on new housebuilding, which is irrelevant to the recommendation about real-time sewage discharge information.

The government's response discusses microplastics and wastewater treatment, failing to address the recommendation concerning planning permission for intensive livestock units and their impact on catchment nutrient budgets.

The government response discusses the Environment Agency developing systems to analyze data from Event Duration Monitors, but does not address the recommendation to amend the Farming Rules for Water or the need for cooperation with farmers.

The government states that the water industry is required to install continuous monitors upstream and downstream of all its sewage discharges and the Environment Agency will supplement this, and that the development of sensors is largely a matter for manufacturers.

The government discusses reforms to improve recycling consistency and roll out universal separate food waste collections, which is irrelevant to the recommendation about water company data publication.

The Government is committed to reviewing and consulting on Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for five important waste streams, including tyres, by 2025. A two and a half year research project was commissioned in February 2021 to better understand brake and tyre wear emissions. Work is soon to begin within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop an internationally harmonised method for measuring the abrasion rate of tyres.

The government's response from the Department for Transport and National Highways addresses road funding and sustainability strategy, completely failing to engage with the recommendation about reclassifying storm overflow sewage spills.

The Department for Transport and National Highways agree that the mitigation of high risk outfalls will support Government objectives to halt species decline, but it is a non-sequitur to the committee's conclusion.

The government states it is conducting a review to inform a future consultation on these points, but does not directly address the committee's welcome of the existing Environment Agency and Ofwat investigation.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of whether to implement Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water management Act 2010, which introduces mandatory standards for new SuDS.

The government response discusses increases to the Environment Agency's budget for inspections and enforcement, but does not address the committee's intention to invite the regulator to appear before them routinely.

The government welcomes the report, outlines its broader priorities and existing actions for water quality improvement, and commits to a comprehensive approach in the 25 Year Environment Plan update in January 2023, but does not address the specific recommendation to examine increased funding for Catchment Based Approach partnerships.